Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 16 Conditioning and Distribution of Compressed Air 419 Research and Development 1. Investigate one basic type of fi lter (dry, oil wetted, or oil bath) used to remove dust and other contaminants from air used in pneumatic circuits. Determine the variety of confi gurations and materials available, the basic operation of the fi lter, service requirements, and typical application for which this type of fi lter is best suited. Share your results in a written report. 2. Visit an industrial site where pneumatic equipment is operated. If possible, interview the equipment operator or site manager about the design and layout of the pneumatic system. Identify the equipment used to condition and distribute air and determine how the choice of components and layout affect system operation. 3. The fi nal preparation of air at the workstation is typically provided by an FRL unit. These units vary widely depending on the requirements of the application. Making the wrong choice can be costly. Prepare a guidebook for correctly choosing one or more of the following components of an FRL unit: • Filter. • Pressure regulator. • Lubricator. 4. Design and conduct an experiment to investigate the impact of conductor size and rate of airfl ow on pressure drops in a pneumatic system. Share your results in a written report. Apply and Analyze 1. On a hot and humid day, ambient air entering a compressor may be as warm as 90°F with a dew point as high as 70°F. A. What are the possible impacts of this air on the operation of your pneumatic circuit? B. What methods or equipment could be used to reduce these impacts? C. Which of these methods or equipment would you implement fi rst? Why? 2. How do the design and functional roles of a typical pneumatic receiver compare to those of a typical hydraulic reservoir? 3. Calculate the capacity of a receiver required to supply air to a pneumatic system while the compressor is stopped. The system consumes 25 cfm of free air for 5 minutes between 100 psig and 80 psig. 4. Additional pneumatic actuators are added to a pneumatic circuit in which an adequately sized receiver is already installed. Explain the possible effects of this change on the operation of other actuators in the circuit. 5. You have been asked to design the air distribution system for a small company that uses pneumatics in its manufacturing process. What questions would you ask before you propose a system? How will the answers to each of these questions affect your design?